Thinking of Others

Opening Questions: Have you ever met someone who
always liked to
be in charge? Why do they like to be in charge? Have you ever met
someone who tries to help all the time? How are they different from
the person who always likes to be in charge?

First Reading: James 3:14-18; 4:1-3

When you find jealousy and selfishness, you will find a
weakness
and people doing all kinds of evil. But you will find the wisdom that
comes from God is first of all holy. Then, it is full of peace. It
wants to find an agreement, not a fight. It wants people to act with
mercy and do good things. It is sure. It does not say one thing and
do another. When people make peace, they sow the seeds of God’s
will in their lives.

Where do your fights and your wars come from? Is it really a fight
between your mind and heart? Isn’t it really a fight between what
you should do and what you want to do? You really want something but
you do nothing to go get it. You would kill for it and are jealous of
others who have it, but you do not have it in your hand. You pick
fights and make wars, but its not yours. Why? Because you don’t ask
for it. And if you ask for it, you don’t receive it because you ask
only for yourself, not for the good of others.

The person who helps others is different from the selfish people.
The helpful person thinks about others as well as him or herself. The
helpful person tries to be honest with others, tries to forgive and
forget, tries to live in peace with others. This is way God wants us
to live.

But, what do selfish people do? They argue and fight because they
don’t get their way, or they don’t know how to ask politely.
People who think of themselves first usually end up unloved. They
become very lonely.

God wants us to think of others and help them. In this way, we are
close to him and he is close to us.

Bridging Questions: How many of you have babysat a
younger brother
or sister? How many of you have been babysat by an older brother or
sister? What happened?

Gospel: Mark 9:30-37

Reader 1:

After the argument with the Pharisees, Jesus and his
followers
left the area and traveled throughout Galilee. But, Jesus did not
want anyone to know where he was going. On the trip, Jesus taught his
followers. “The Son of Man will be arrested by the leadership in
Jerusalem and they will kill him,” Jesus told them. “But, three
days later, he will rise from the dead.” His followers did not know
what he was talking about. And, they were afraid to ask him about it.

Reader 2:

Jesus and his followers went to Capernaum. At home, Jesus
asked
his followers, “What were you talking about on the way here?” But
they all fell silent, because they were talking about who was the
most important in the group. So, Jesus sat down, called the Twelve
together, and began to teach them. “If someone wants to lead, he
must be the least important follower and serve everyone else,”
Jesus told them. Then, Jesus took a small child, stood the child in
front of the Twelve, and hugged the child. “Whoever helps someone
as small and unimportant as this child because of me, helps me. And,
whoever helps me really helps my Father, the one who sent me."

“Okay, Judy,” her mother said as she rushed out the door.
“You’ve got your list. Make sure Tony takes his medicine before
bed. And no television after 9:00. You father and I will be back by
10:00. I expect you to be in bed with the lights out.”

“Yeah, Mom,” Judy replied to a closing door.

“Why can’t I stay up?” Judy thought to herself. “It’s
Friday night and I can watch my shows on TV. Why do I have to do all
the things on this list? Yeah, I’m in charge, but this is no fun!”

“Do the dishes,” Judy said as she read her mom’s list out
loud. “Check” She crossed out that chore on the list. “Give
Tony a bath,” she said to herself still reading the list. “ Tony!
Time for a bath.”

Judy didn’t hear any response. “Oh, no!” she thought to
herself. “Tony’s getting himself into trouble!”

Judy ran upstairs looking for her little brother. Not in his room.
Not in her parents’ room. Not in her room. Judy ran frantically
around the upstairs, eliminating one room after another. She finally
found him in the bathroom. He had unrolled the toilet paper roll.
Half of it was on the ground. Judy felt relief Tony had not done
something worst. She could re-roll the tissue.

With the bath water poured, Judy put Tony in the tub and began to
wash him. When she washed under his right arm, ticklish Tony
collapsed into laughter. “So, you think this is funny,” Judy said
sarcastically. She then began to tickle him all over as she washed
her brother. Both laughed so hard, tears were falling over their
faces. Yes, they had made a mess, but Judy could clean it up later.

After the bath, Judy tucked Tony into bed, gave him his medicine,
and kissed him goodnight. She cleaned up the bathroom and returned to
her mom’s list. It was 8:20 P.M. Her chores were done, the list was
all crossed out, and it was time for Judy to relax and watch TV. Then
she heard Tony scream, “Mom! Dad! Judy!” He had another
nightmare.

Judy ran upstairs. “Are you okay?” Judy asked her younger
brother.

“Yeah . . . can you read me a story?” her brother said.

“Sure,” Judy sighed.

Judy began to read to Tony. The longer she read, the more excited
she got about the characters in the book, and the more expressive she
read. After one book, Judy grabbed another, and then a third. Half
way through that book, Judy asked her brother, “Isn’t this story
great? This was one of my favorite books!” Judy looked at her
brother only to realize he was asleep. Quietly, she closed the book,
got up, kissed Tony, turned out the light, and left the room.

She looked at the clock. Ten minutes to nine o’clock. “Well,”
Judy thought to herself, “I’m not going to watch TV, but tonight
was worth it.” It was worth it. She loved her brother and spending
time with him was more important than TV.

Little children are important. Judy knew that. Jesus knew that.
Jesus told his followers that the way they treated children showed
how much they loved him. If they welcomed a small child, they
welcomed him and his Father. So, be kind to children smaller than
you. That way you can show Jesus how much you love him.

How can you help someone smaller than you, like a
younger brother
or sister?

25th Sunday

in Ordinary Time

Cycle B

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